Plastic Dress and matching Purse

 by katvanlew
Contest WinnerFeatured
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This dress and purse was made with plastic grocery bags.Ask your friends and family to save bags for you, it won't take long to get as many as you need!  It took 40 bags to make the purse and about 200 for the dress. I made it for my daughter to model in the 2009 Santa Fe Recycle Art Trashion Show. We got 3rd place! The blue strips woven through the waist and the top edge of the purse was cut from a pretty blue plastic bag. I lined the dress with 3 old white cotton shirts from the thrift shop.
 
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Step 1: Cutting the bags into strips

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Flatten out the bag. cut off the bottom and the handles. Open up the bag and begin cutting a spiral strip about 1-1/2" wide, turning the bag as you go. Keep cutting until you have one long strip. Tie the ends of the strips together, cutting off the excess.Start rolling the strips into a ball. Continue tying strips together until you have 20 or 30 bags cut up. This can be time consuming but I like to cut the bags up while I'm watching TV and, before I know it, I've got a couple dozen bags cut up and rolled into a ball.
Penolopy Bulnick says: Nov 11, 2012. 8:58 PM
Oh that looks like so cool! That Recycle Art Trashion Show sounds like a blast!!!
kf4nxs says: Nov 18, 2012. 12:01 PM
This is not one bit Trashy, glad that our youth is learning to recycle and care for our little marble.
Yashfa Zafar says: Mar 22, 2013. 2:10 AM
Such a brilliant recycling process!
twinkleshine says: Feb 17, 2013. 9:54 AM
clever !!
WUVIE says: Jan 12, 2013. 5:45 PM
Oh my gosh, this is so cute, and so creative! And you crochet, too?
I'm so envious! Putting it on my list of 'things to learn one day'. :-)
katvanlew (author) in reply to WUVIEJan 12, 2013. 9:43 PM
Thank you, I learned to crochet when I was young and always have a project going.
wilgubeast says: Nov 16, 2012. 12:06 PM
So awesome. Well done. With the SF plastic bag tax, that dress is worth something like $24. Awesome upcycling.
katvanlew (author) in reply to wilgubeastNov 30, 2012. 7:31 AM
thanks for the nice comment, the thing about being a creative person is experimenting with different materials and sometimes projects don't turn out as well as you'd like them to. sometimes my experiments with "trash" get thrown in the trash, but this one turned out well.
Josehf Murchison says: Nov 17, 2012. 5:21 AM
No worry about wine stains on an evening out Eh.
I like the randomness of the colors.
Joe
katvanlew (author) in reply to Josehf MurchisonNov 30, 2012. 7:24 AM
thanks, I am pleased with the way it turned out.
alpinerose says: Nov 18, 2012. 5:04 PM
I like knitting better than crochet. Think I will try something in a knit pattern. Should be fun.
katvanlew (author) in reply to alpineroseNov 30, 2012. 7:23 AM
post pictures when you are done, I would like to see what you make!
tn. says: Nov 18, 2012. 9:52 AM
genius!!!!!
katvanlew (author) in reply to tn.Nov 30, 2012. 7:22 AM
thanks for the nice comment!
capt redd says: Nov 21, 2012. 4:28 AM
all new meaning for the term bag lady lol
katvanlew (author) in reply to capt reddNov 30, 2012. 7:22 AM
Exactly!
elewis03 says: Nov 23, 2012. 5:26 PM
You are so talented!
katvanlew (author) in reply to elewis03Nov 30, 2012. 7:22 AM
Thank you for the nice comment!
poofrabbit says: Nov 29, 2012. 8:31 PM
Congratulations on being a finalist in the fiber arts contest!! Good luck to you!
katvanlew (author) in reply to poofrabbitNov 30, 2012. 7:21 AM
Thank you, I am thrilled to be a finalist!
emerson.john says: Nov 19, 2012. 5:07 AM
Over time the garment will biodegrade due to sunlight. If stored in the dark, like a closet or drawer, that will take a very long time. If left in the sun the process is surprisingly fast. Clever idea!
katvanlew (author) in reply to emerson.johnNov 23, 2012. 7:10 PM
Yes, if you make a rug out of the plastic bags, it's ok to put it outside under a covered porch., do not let it be in direct sunlight for very long.
godbacon says: Nov 20, 2012. 7:14 AM
Beautiful job, I would just caution anyone wearing these to be very weary of open flames. Not a good idea to attend barbecues or campfires in one of these.
Dakotamouse says: Nov 18, 2012. 5:40 PM
this reminds me of the early 70's when everyones grandma saved bread bags and crocheted rugs. I'll bet you remember those days too!
katvanlew (author) in reply to DakotamouseNov 19, 2012. 11:42 AM
that is exactly where I got the idea from! one of my daughters actually made a rug from bread bags several years ago.
sunshiine says: Nov 13, 2012. 10:25 AM
My daughter is saving bags to make rugs and handbags. I will share this with her. So pretty! I hope your day shines! Sunshiine
Sunshiine
sanjay117 says: Nov 13, 2012. 12:57 AM
diffcuilt to decide , which is beautiful/ WEARER OR THE WORN ONE !!!!
wold630 says: Nov 12, 2012. 5:49 PM
Very impressive. I love the blue stripe to give the dress character.
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